A cross-reference of related applications are provided at the end of the Detailed Description of Preferred Embodiments section of the present application.
The present invention relates to methods for billing for Internet broadband communications between or among users, and more particularly, to providing multi-network access and least cost routing among a broadband Internet Protocol Telephony Network (IPTN) and a public switched telephone network among other network alternatives.
Present day telephony voice networks have a network built around circuit switches, end offices, a toll network, tandem switches, and twisted pair wires (where the twisted pair wire couples the end office and customer premises equipment. These voice networks are referred to as a public switched telephone network (PSTN) and their services referred to as plain old telephone service (POTS). Due to bandwidth limitations of plain old telephone service (POTS), there is an inherent inability to efficiently integrate multiple types of media such as telephony, data communication for personal computers (PC), and television (TV) broadcasts. Accordingly, a new broadband architecture is required. This new architecture gives rise to a new array of user services.
Presently, least cost routing services may be provided for POTS services by locating a least cost route for a given circuit switched call between a caller and a called party, especially in a business setting have both private line and switched circuit connection opportunities. For example, private branch exchange systems automatically select a least cost route for a typical voiceband call. A leased private line, for example, a T1 carrier link comprising twenty-four separate channels may be utilized in preference to reliance upon the public switched network to take full advantage of the leased facilities. On the other hand, in an Internet Protocol Telephony Network (IPTN), voice telephony services are offered at no cost to the user but quality of service in comparison to PSTN calls suffers. A decrease in quality of service may be experienced by the caller or called party due to high traffic conditions or limitations in connecting facilities as increased delay or voice quality due to lost packets. Lost packets generally appears to the user as a degradation in signal-to-noise ratio. On the other hand, the Internet promises multimedia communication opportunities including but not limited to video teleconferencing, high resolution imagery transmission and high fidelity digital sound.
Notwithstanding the promise of the Internet, the tendency to date in existent voice over IP (VoIP) telecommunication billing systems is to emulate existent telephony billing arrangements. For example, International Publication No. WO 98/19448 published 7 May, 1998, by Ericsson of Sweden discloses a method of billing an Internet call in a conventional manner by doing an IP address assignment at a POP and by accompanying an A-number (calling party number) with a personal password or PIN that are collected at call placement. The call is billed according to the called telephone number, their location in reference to the calling party and the duration of the call.
Consequently, there exists a great opportunity to provide new methods and procedures for billing IP broadband subscribers for such multi-media communications and to further provide least cost routing as a function of quality of service in the new millennium.
Aspects of the invention include providing broadband access capabilities or enhanced services for use in conjunction with a packetized network such as an Internet Protocol (IP) based system infrastructure.
Other aspects of the invention include providing one or more of the following either individually, or in any combination or subcombination:
a new broadband architecture;
broadband network capabilities, including local access;
enhanced multi-media services for use in conjunction with a packetized network such as an Internet Protocol (IP) based system infrastructure;
utilizing a SIM card to validate a user associated with a subscriber or off-premises location;
providing users with choices of networks including the PSTN, an IPTN, a wireless or other available networks, locally displaying or providing alternative network selection means for any such choices to a user and actuating such changes as a function of quality of service; and
providing real-time selection and billing choices to the subscriber as a function of network path selection and quality of service including providing a network path display of alternative network paths in priority order by quality of service or by cost of connection.
According to the present invention, a method of billing a variable bit rate communication between a first terminal and a distant terminal to a broadband subscriber at the first terminal, the variable bit rate communication having a variable quality of service related to the degree of utilization of a plurality of different networks, comprises the steps of: i.) receiving user identification data at the first terminal and data representing a required bit rate and a default quality of service selected by the user, ii.)verifying the user identification data to be associated with a broadband subscriber, iii.) determining least cost alternative network resources available for achieving the communication at the default quality of service and the required bit rate, iv.) determining cost data associated with the network resources, v.) outputting to the user a least cost for the communication according to the default quality of service and the least cost alternative network resources, vi.) coupling the first terminal and the distant terminal via the least cost determined network resources and the default quality of service at the required bit rate responsive to user authorization and vii.) billing for the communication at the default quality of service and according to the required bit rate after the termination of the communication.
Although the invention has been defined using the appended claims, these claims are exemplary and limiting to the extent that the invention is meant to include one or more elements from the apparatus and methods described herein and in the applications incorporated by reference in any combination or subcombination. Accordingly, there is any number of alternative combinations for defining the invention, which incorporate one or more elements from the specification (including the drawings, claims, and applications incorporated by reference) in any combinations or subcombinations.